jfortp=ftftl)  SUinots 

&egtment" 


Eocfeforti 

24,  1905 


ftlftiO' 


\KY 
Or  THE 


THE  FORTY-FIFTH  ILLINOIS 


A  Souvenir  of  the   Re-union 


HELD  AT  ROCKFORD 


On  the  Fortieth  Anniversary  of  its  March 
in  the  Grand  Review 


Being  the  Remarks  of  Daniel  Fisht  of  Co.  G,  to  which  is 

appended  the  Substance  of  the  Regiment's  History 

as  Preserved  in  Official  Records 


MINNEAPOLIS 

BYRON    &    W1LLARD 

1905 


•o 

SJ.  O 


1 1 

5.S. 

R"  O 


COMRADES: 

Being  asked  to  give  a  (( short 
address,"  I  am  vain  enough  to  wish 
to  see  it  in  print.  That  the  immod- 
esty may  seem  a  trifle  less  flagrant,  I 
append  some  historical  notations 
worth  preserving.  Together,  they 
will  serve  to  remind  you — and  that 
is  what  I  really  want — of  a  boy  re- 
cruit of  1864,  named 

DANIEL  FISH. 


ADDRESS. 

Mr.  President  and  Comrades : — 

The  time  devoted  to  a  regimental  reunion,  occurring"  thus 
late  in  the  afternoon  of  our  lives,  seems  almost  too  precious  to 
be  wasted  upon  formal  speeches.  The  common  thought  of  the 
occasion  has  found  ready  and  constant  expression  ever  since 
we  began  to  assemble.  The  earnest  scrutiny  of  faces  and  forms 
which  the  busy  years  have  remoulded ;  the  kindling  light  of  rec- 
ognition in  eyes  dimmed  by  advancing  age;  the  unstudied  ex- 
clamations of  greeting;  the  eager  clasp  of  hands  long  parted — 
these  speak  the  ruling  sentiments  of  the  hour  with  a  natural 
eloquence  which  no  art  can  rival. 

It  would  be  sheer  dishonesty  in  me,  however,  to  pretend  that 
I  am  not  glad  of  this  opportunity  to  speak  briefly  in  your  pres- 
ence, especially  in  this  place,  and  to  be  known  for  the  moment  as 
a  member  of  the  45th  Illinois  Voluntary  Infantry.  This  is  my 
native  county,  and  Rockford,  ever  beautiful,  wears  for  me  the 
special  and  enduring  charms  of  school-day  memories  and  boyish 
pride.  Nowhere  else  could  I  have  taken  prominent  part  in  a  re- 
union of  the  old  regiment  without  feeling  that  I  was  usurping 
undeserved  honors,  but  here  I  can  almost  play  the  host.  Though 
I  have  wandered  long  and  far,  though  other  scenes  have  en- 
ticed and  later  ties  have  enthralled  me,  still,  this  is  Home.  Join- 
ing therefore  with  those  of  our  comradeship  who  are  native 
here,  I  assume  family  privileges,  and,  as  one  of  the  household, 
bid  you  welcome  to  the  green  fields  of  old  Winnebago  and  to 
this  smiling  city,  her  capital.  She  has  not  forgotten  the  battle 
years.  This  fine  memorial  hall,  these  tablets  inscribed  with  the 
names  of  her  soldier  sons,  are  but  symbols  of  that  intense,  un- 
dying patriotism  which  reigned  here  in  the  sixties.  We  may  all 
abide,  securely,  in  the  hearts  of  this  people. 

Now,  let  me  indulge  in  some  bits  of  personal  reminiscence. 


1000472 


My  term  of  service  was  so  short,  and  my  connection  with  the 
regiment  so  broken,  that  you  may  well  expect  me  to  give  some 
account  of  my  doings.  This  is  only  the  second  of  these  reunions 
that  I  have  been  able  to  attend.  The  first  was  at  Chicago  five 
years  ago  and  that,  to  be  quite  truthful,  was  a  somewhat  dis- 
appointing experience.  I  had  looked  forward  to  it  with  the 
most  pleasurable  anticipations,  for  surely,  I  thought,  my  own 
company  will  be  out  in  force  and  I  shall  at  least  know  every- 
body in  Co.  G.  Well,  some  of  them  were  present,  and  most 
of  them  I  knew,  but  alas!  not  many  knew  me.  I  had  been 
conscious  enough  of  change  in  myself — that  I  had  "grown  up" 
since  the  muster  out  thirty-five  years  back — but  had  not  com- 
prehended the  full  extent  of  the  mischiefs  which  Time  brings 
about.  It  was  hard  for  me  to  realize  that  the  sturdy  young 
fellows  I  had  known  were  the  dignified,  even  venerable  men  there 
gathered.  Not  quite  sixteen  at  my  enlistment,  most  of  you  being 
already  veterans  of  twenty-two  and  upward,  I  recalled  with 
great  distinctness  the  humiliation  I  often  felt  on  account  of  my 
extreme  youth ;  but  that  is  one  of  the  embarrassments  of  those 
days  that  I  have  wholly  outgrown.  I  would  not  be  a  day  older 
now,  if  it  were  possible. 

The  one  man  in  the  ranks  whom  I  best  remembered  was  there 
at  Chicago.  He  accepted  my  greetings  with  his  old  time  kind- 
ness, but  with  a  discouraging  shadow  of  uncertainty  upon  his 
honest  face.  Even  after  I  had  told  him  my  name,  I  doubt  if 
he  would  have  loaned  me  money  on  the  faith  of  my  claim  to 
membership  in  Co.  G.  The  only  man  there  who  was  sure  of  me 
was  my  old  Lieutenant,  Lee  Bauder — who  used  to  exchange 
weapons  with  me  to  lighten  my  load  on  the  march ;  for  the 
musket  I  carried  was  of  man's  size,  weighing  substantially  two 
hundred  pounds.  It  was  a  lesson  not  to  be  forgotten,  and  I 
came  away  from  that  re-union  resolved  never  to  miss  another, 
unless  dire  necessity  compelled  it. 

I  first  saw  the  regiment  at  the  Black  River  camp,  in  the  rear 
of  Vicksburg,  on  your  return  from  the  Meridian  raid.  That, 

4 


if  the  record  has  been  truly  kept,  was  on  the  4th  of  March,  1864. 
Then  and  there  it  was  that  Gen.  Sherman  united  his  forces  with 
Spencer  Abbott,  Tommy  Fitzpatrick,  and  me,  and  the  45th  en- 
tered upon  a  new  era  of  glory.  You  may  not  have  noticed  the 
sequence  of  events,  but  within  two  months  from  that  hour  the 
monthly  pay  of  the  men  was  enlarged  from  thirteen  to  sixteen 
dollars ;  so  marked  an  increase  had  been  observed  in  the  average 
efficiency  of  the  entire  Union  army.  Two  weeks  later  we  marched 
into  Vicksburg  and  took  passage  northward  by  steamer,  you 
re-enlisted  veterans  to  go  home  upon  your  well-earned  fur- 
lough, we  recruits  to  sadly  wait  at  Cairo  until  it  was  ended. 
The  siege  and  capture  of  the  River  stronghold  were  then  fresh 
in  your  memories  and  on  that  march  I  marked  well  the  position 
which  the  regiment  had  occupied  in  the  trenches  and  the  shat- 
tered remains  of  Fort  Hill.  Revisiting  that  ground  a  few  years 
since,  when  the  project  of  converting  it  into  a  National  military 
park  was  under  consideration,  it  seemed  strangely  familiar. 
Hardly  any  other  historic  place  in  the  South  has  changed  so 
little.  The  tenacious  clay  of  the  hills  had  resisted  the  wear  of 
the  elements  and  the  people  seemed  to  have  refused,  with  equal 
persistency,  to  share  in  the  country's  progress. 

While  there  in  company  with  a  party  of  my  Minnesota 
neighbors,  I  was  naturally  desirous  of  showing  them  the  spot 
whereon  the  45th  performed  its  most  conspicuous  deed  of  gal- 
lantry. Not  far  from  the  monument  which  stands  on  the  site 
of  "Pemberton's  Oak"  we  met  a  carriage-load  of  visitors  who 
had  come  out  by  another  road.  As  we  drew  alongside  they 
stopped,  and  a  citizen  of  Vicksburgh  accompanying  them  arose 
and  pointed  to  a  nearby  hillside.  "Right  there,"  he  said,  "is 
where  Maltby's  regiment  went  in."  He  had  been  telling  his 
party  of  the  rush  of  the  45th'  into  the  crater  of  Fort  Hill,  and 
you  may  depend  upon  it  that  the  story  of  that  exploit  lost  noth- 
ing as  I  retold  it.  In  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  possibly  I 
neglected  to  mention  that  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  had  oc- 
curred precisely  six  months  prior  to  my  enlistment. 

5 


I  wonder  if  any  of  you  recollect  one  incident  of  that  trip  up 
the  river,  which  I  have  never  forgotten.  It  was  the  time  of 
Forrest's  invasion  of  West  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  which  ended 
with  the  Ft.  Pillow  massacre.  Upon  our  arrivel  at  Columbus, 
Ky.,  we  were  ordered  ashore  on  the  report  that  the  surrender 
of  that  post  had  just  been  demanded,  and  were  marched  a  few 
miles  inland  in  expectation  of  a  fight.  I  did  not  approve  of 
that  movement.  About  the  only  military  opinion  I  ever  formed 
was  that  this  was  no  proper  way  for  a  regiment  to  go  home  on 
its  veteran  furlough.  But  no  enemy  appeared,  and  the  north- 
ward journey  was  speedily  resumed. 

The  re-assembling  of  the  regiment  at  Cairo,  the  movement 
by  transport  up  the  Ohio  and  the  Tennessee  to  Clifton,  the  march 
across  country  to  the  line  of  Sherman's  movement  upon  Atlanta 
— is  it  possible  that  it  occurred  full  forty-one  years  ago?  How 
clearly  I  remember  my  first  deep  disgrace  which  happened  on 
that  march.  We  had  to  wade  the  Pulaski  river  late  in  the  after- 
noon of  a  long,  wearisome  day.  I  can  see,  at  this  moment, 
just  how  Gen.  Leggett  looked  as  he  sat  mid-stream  upon  his 
big  black  horse,  while  we  floundered  through  the  icy  water.  That 
night  and  next  morning  a  raging  fever  possessed  me,  and  an 
ambulance  carried  my  aching  bones  to  a  hospital  in  Huntsville ; 
a  beautiful  spot,  but  to  my  sensitive  soul  worse  than  a  place  of 
penal  confinement.  One  week  later  I  was  with  you  again  at 
Kingston,  Ga.,  rejoicing,  yet  heartily  ashamed. 

I  have  often  remarked  that  almost  the  only  streak  of  good 
luck  which  ever  befel  the  4$th  was  its  assignment  to  duty  that 
summer  at  the  Etowah  bridge,  by  means  whereof  we  escaped 
the  hard  fighting  from  Kenesaw  to  Atlanta,  and  especially  the 
fierce  engagement  of  the  brigade  on  Leggett's  Hill.  Gen.  Leg- 
gett, by  the  way,  has  generously  declared,  in  a  published  address, 
that  the  place  should  have  been  christened  "Force's  Hill,"  be- 
cause our  brave  commander  and  his  gallant  brigade  bore  the 
brunt  of  that  savage  encounter  and  the  former  there  fell  so 
grievously  wounded.  In  the  same  address  he  mistakenly  credits 

6 


the  45th  with  a  share  in  the  fight,  forgetting  that  at  the  time  we 
were  peacefully  guarding  the  crossing  of  the  Etowah,  far  in  the 
rear,  and  quite  unconscious  of  our  comrades'  peril. 

Gen.  Force  once  sent  me,  at  my  request,  a  copy  of  the  pam- 
phlet referred  to,  and  a  brief  correspondence  ensued.  He  had 
not  heard  from  a  member  of  our  regument  for  many  years,  and 
inquired  if  Major  Duer  were  yet  living.  The  dear  Major  had 
lately  died  and,  as  it  happened,  I  had  seen  him  at  his  home  in 
Iowa  but  a  few  weeks  before  his  demise.  Col.  Sealy  had  also 
recently  passed  away.  I  communicated  the  sad  news  to  Gen. 
Force,  and  you  will  be  interested  in  his  reply,  which  I  cherish  as 
a  characteristic  memento  of  one  of  the  truest  men  and  noblest 
soldiers  of  all  the  two  million  whose  names  are  borne  on  the 
Union  rolls.  This  is  the  letter: 

Ohio  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home, 

Sandusky,  O.,  nth  Nov.,  1888. 
Daniel  Fish,  Esq.,  Minneapolis. 

Dear  Sir: — You  are  right  in  saying  that  the  45th  111.  was 
not  at  the  battle  of  Atlanta,  but  was  at  the  time  guarding  the 
bridge  over  the  Etowah. 

Major  Duer  happened  to  be  near  on  the  21  st  July,  either  on 
business  or  a  visit,  and  saw  the  charge  of  the  brigade  up  Leg- 
gett's  Hill.  I  did  not  know  it  at  the  time.  He  told  me  of  it 
afterwards. 

I  regret  much  to  hear  of  the  death  of  Major  Duer  and  of 
Col.  Sealy.  We  are  all  dropping  off  fast.  The  frosts  of  autumn 
have  touched  us,  and  at  every  gust  of  wind  many  of  us  drop 
off  and  are  whirled  away  from  view. 

Very  truly  yours, 

M.  F.  FORCE. 

After  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  and  while  the  regiment  was  rest- 
ing temporarily  at  Marietta,  I  believe,  a  brief  illness  again  sent 
me  to  the  hospital.  My  recollection  of  that  period  is  rather 
faint.  I  only  know  that  during  convalescence  I  was  employed 
as  a  kind  of  office  boy  for  one  of  the  surgeons,  and  was  quar- 
tered in  a  house  at  Atlanta  mainly  occupied  by  "Mother  Bicker- 
dyke,"  who  was  then,  as  you  remember,  the  Commander-in-chief 

7 


of  Sherman's  army.  I  there  formed  an  acquaintance  with  that 
remarkable  woman  who  concealed  beneath  a  somewhat  forbid- 
ding exterior  a  world  of  motherly  love.  I  last  saw  her  at  the 
Columbus  Encampment  in  1888,  and  took  pains  to  remind  her 
of  the  kindness  she  had  shown  to  one  homesick  lad  of  the  many 
to  whom  she  had  ministered.  She  was  then  old,  and  poor  they 
told  me,  but  she  was  rich  in  the  affections  of  thousands  there 
gathered.  She  is  now  with  her  soldier  boys  who  have  gone 
into  camp  on  the  other  shore. 

In  the  weeding-out  process  which  preceded  the  March  to 
the  Sea,  I,  with  other  like  impedimenta,  was  sent  home  on  fur- 
lough. Ten  days  of  that  was  quite  enough  for  me,  and  learn- 
ing of  the  intended  advance,  I  set  out  in  haste  for  Atlanta — too 
late.  On  my  arrival  at  Chattanooga  it  transpired  that  Atlanta 
was  destroyed  and  all  communication  with  Sherman  cut  off. 
Two  or  three  thousand  of  us,  officers  and  men,  were  there  in 
similar  plight,  and  a  sorrier  crowd  was  never  assembled.  Back 
to  Nashville  they  sent  us,  where  we  were  organized  by  Gen. 
Thomas  into  temporary  battalions  and  collectively  designated 
"The  Provisional  Division  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee."  The 
title  was  too  long.  It  soon  shrank  to  the  "P.  V.'s,"  which  was 
readily  transliterated  into  "Pewees,"  under  which  affectionate 
diminutive  we  pecked  our  way  through  the  Nashville  battle  and 
left  tracks  in  the  mud  of  Alabama  in  pursuit  of  the  flying  Hood. 
So  my  baptism  of  fire  was  received  far  away  from  the  regi- 
ment, and  all  the  glory  of  my  individual  prowess  adds  nothing 
to  its  fame. 

From  the  vicinity  of  Decatur,  Alabama,  we  went,  on  foot 
and  by  steamer  and  rail,  to  Washington,  D.  C.,  along  with  the 
24th  corps;  thence  to  Annapolis,  where  we  took  shipping  for 
the  North  Carolina  coast.  You,  meanwhile,  were  wading  the 
swamps  of  the  two  Carolinas,  a  winter  campaign  which  the  de- 
luded Confederates  believed  to  be  impossible.  I  have  sometimes 
queried  whether  your  journey  or  mine  was  hardest  to  endure. 
We  have  the  authority  of  our  own  "Uncle  Billy"  for  the  opinion 

8 


that  "War,  at  its  best,  is  hell,"  but  1,600  landsmen,  crowded 
between  decks  upon  an  angry  ocean — all  sick  unto  death,  and 
smothered  in  stenches  that  would  revolt  the  stomach  of  a  buz- 
zard— Hades,  in  the  modern  version,  at  least,  would  have  been  a 
welcome  exchange.  I  have  never  asked  for  a  pension,  but  if  I 
ever  do  so,  the  memory  of  that  stormy  voyage  around  Cape 
Hatteras  will  be  my  sufficient  excuse. 

From-  New  Berne,  on  the  Neuse,  we  marched  westward  to 
meet  you  at  Goldsboro.  Another  column,  starting  from  Wil- 
mington, was  headed  for  the  same  point  of  junction,  and  Joe 
Johnston  resolved  to  crush  the  two  forces  in  detail.  In  pursu- 
ance of  that  unfriendly  design,  he  caused  the  first  attack  to  fall 
upon  us,  with  the  result  that  the  other  was  indefinitely  post- 
poned. It  was  a  three  days'  affair  (like  Gettysburg,  you  re- 
member), culminating  in  a  considerable  battle  on  the  loth  of 
March.  Not  very  famous  in  history  is  that  engagement  (we 
had  no  press  agents  with  us),  but  exceedingly  interesting  to  those 
immediately  concerned.  It  is  called,  indifferently,  the  battle  of 
Kinston,  Southwest  Creek,  and  Wise's  Fork.  Since  my  bat- 
talion happened  to  be  in  the  center  of  it,  I  then  had  my  most 
favorable  opportunity  to  study  the  typical  "Johnnie"  in  his  fight- 
ing costume.  We  saw  the  worst  side  of  him  there — and  the  other 
side,  too,  for  he  turned  away  after  inflicting  upon  us,  in  the 
three  days,  a  total  loss  of  1,337  men-  Of  these,  however,  nearly 
900  were  captured,  being  two  New  England  regiments  which  for 
two  years  had  been  on  garrison  duty  at  New  Berne.  That  the 
Pewees  were  true  Army  of  the  Tennessee  men  appears  from  this 
complimentary  mention  of  them  in  the  report  of  Gen.  J.  D.  Cox, 
who  next  to  Schofield  was  in  chief  command: 

"I  owe  it  to  the  troops  of  the  provisional  brigades  to 
say  that,  although  they  were  without  regular  organization 
and  commanded  by  officers  who  were  strangers  to  them, 
they  nevertheless  behaved  in  the  most  soldierly  manner 
and  acquitted  themselves  well  in  every  situation."  (Offi- 
cial Records,  Serial  Vol.  98,  p.  979.) 

My  own  company  was  the  first  to  cross  the  Neuse  toward 

9 


Kinston,  passing,  a  la  Blondin,  upon  single  stringers  laid  from 
bent  to  bent  of  a  bridge  which  the  retreating  enemy  had  burned. 
A  few  days  later  we  were  with  our  several  commands  at  Golds- 
boro,  and  thenceforth  to  the  end  my  military  experience  coin- 
cides with  your  own.  I  missed  the  "March  to  the  Sea,"  a  griev- 
ous disappointment  at  the  time  but  very  likely  a  fortunate 
escape,  for  my  long,  slender  legs  were  hardly  equal  to  a  sprint 
of  300  miles.  Instead  of  the  march  through  Georgia  and  the 
northward  campaign,  I  invaded  the  Carolinas  from  the  sea;  a 
fair  set-off,  so  far  as  danger  and  discomfort  are  concerned,  and  as 
regards  the  fighting,  my  experience  at  Nashville  and  at  Kinston 
were  quite  enough ;  whereas  your  single  encounter  at  Pocotaligo 
might  have  failed  to  wholly  satiate  my  thirst  for  blood. 

It  is  needless  to  remind  you  of  the  closing  days  at  and  near 
Raleigh — the  joy  coming  with  the  news  that  Lee's  army  was 
captured;  the  mingled  grief  and  rage  attending  the  murder  of 
our  beloved  Lincoln ;  the  blundering  of  the  Washington  authori- 
ties over  Sherman's  negotiations  with  our  immediate  foe ;  the 
visit  of  Gen.  Grant  and  his  review  of  the  I7th  corps;  the  sudden 
and  unanimous  surrender  from  Virginia  to  Texas;  the  arduous 
though  inspiriting  foot-race  of  the  two  corps  of  our  army  through 
the  rebel  capital  to  that  of  the  nation;  the  Grand  Review,  and 
the  dismissal  to  our  homes. 

Comrades,  we  have  been  abundantly  favored.  Two  score 
years  of  life  have  been  vouchsafed  to  us  in  which  to  enjoy  the 
great  peace  we  helped  to  achieve,  for  it  is  precisely  forty  years 
this  day,  as  it  happens,  since  we  marched  down  Pennsylvania  ave- 
nue in  that  memorable  pageant  which  signalized  the  close  of  the 
Civil  War.  The  grateful  plaudits  which  greeted  us  then  are  echo- 
ing still.  The  nation  has  been  generous  beyond  all  precedent.  It 
has  indeed  striven  to  realize  the  aspiration  breathed  by  our  im- 
mortal leader  in  his  second  inaugural:  "to  bind  up  the  nation's 
wounds,  to  care  for  him  who  shall  have  borne  the  battle  and  for  his 
widow  and  his  orphan,  to  do  all  which  may  achieve  a  just  and 
lasting  peace  among  ourselves  and  with  all  nations." 

10 


Across  the  pillared  front  of  the  national  treasury,  as  we  passed 
it  that  day  in  review,  we  read  this  motto :  "THE  ONLY  NATIONAL 

DEBT  WE  CAN  NEVER  PAY,  IS  THE  DEBT  WE  OWE  TO  THE  VICTORI- 
OUS UNION  SOLDIERS."  The  money  obligation  which  then  pressed 
its  awful  weight  upon  the  nation's  resources  was  more  than  three 
thousand  millions  in  amount.  One  thousand  millions  of  it  are 
still  unpaid,  having  been  carried  at  interest  these  forty  years,  yet 
a  sum  greater  than  the  whole  of  that  stupendous  burden  has 
been  disbursed  in  pensions ;  and  a  hundred  and  thirty  million 
dollars  a  year  are  still  ungrudgingly  bestowed.  Nothing  ap- 
proaching such  munificence  has  occurred  in  all  the  past.  More 
than  this  mere  pecuniary  benefaction  has  marked  the  nation's 
gratitude.  The  name  and  service  of  every  humblest  soldier  and 
sailor  of  the  Union  has  been  carefully  preserved  in  government 
archives,  and  in  myriads  of  official  volumes,  the  authentic  records 
of  our  struggle  have  been  "embalmed  in  imperishable  print." 
More  touching  than  all  else,  it  seems  to  me,  the  remains  of  our 
fallen  comrades,  so  far  as  the  utmost  diligence  could  recover 
them,  have  been  gathered  into  scores  of  national  cemeteries, 
where  their  graves  are  marked,  and  beautified,  and  tended  with 
loving  care.  The  cynical  maxim  that  "Republics  are  ungrateful," 
has  been  abundantly  refuted  in  this  land  of  our  love. 

You  have  heard  me  with  kindly  patience.  I  was  too  young 
to  be  a  good  soldier,  but  it  was  a  great  good  fortune  for  a  boy 
of  any  age  to  be  caught  up  by  that  splendid  wave  of  enthusiasm 
which  swept  two  millions  of  us  into  the  Union  ranks.  With 
you,  I  have  passed  the  summit  of  life  and  nothing  can  come  to 
me — nothing  has  come — comparable  with  that  brief  period  of  ser- 
vice. I  am  profoundly  grateful  for  it — glad  that  I  was  permitted 
to  join  a  veteran  regiment  whose  record  is  stainless,  and  with 
such  strength  as  I  had,  to  assist  in  carrying  our  country's  flag 
wherever  its  right  to  go  was  denied. 


ii 


A  TYPICAL  REGIMENT. 

The  war  memories  of  a  soldier  are  associated  almost  ex- 
clusively with  his  regiment,  the  smallest  unit  of  infantry  or- 
ganization that  can  have  a  separate  history.  The  honors  of 
the  regiment,  therefore,  are  dear  to  the  hearts  of  its  members, 
and  around  its  simplest  annals  are  clustered  innumerable  remi- 
niscences which  no  words  could  portray.  But  when  armies  are 
numbered  in  millions,  the  written  story  of  a  given  thousand 
must  necessarily  be  brief ;  it  soon  merges  into  the  sober  history 
of  battles  and  campaigns,  as  the  names  of  the  many  are  lost  in 
the  fame  of  the  few.  Long  ago,  Washington  came  to  typify 
both  the  military  and  civil  glory  of  the  Revolution.  Already, 
the  majestic  name  of  Lincoln — who  as  truly  as  any  of  our  com- 
rades gave  his  life  for  the  Union — sums  up  to  the  general  mind 
the  struggles  and  triumphs  of  the  Civil  War.  But  Heaven 
could  not  have  placed  our  credit  in  safer  keeping. 

Ours  was  a  representative  regiment.  In  general,  its  history 
might  stand  for  that  of  a  hundred  others ;  a  simple  tale  of  duty 
faithfully  performed,  of  patient  endurance,  of  unflinching  cour- 
age. It  fell  slightly  short  of  the  battle  losses  which  one  indus- 
trious compiler  of  statistics  has  evolved  as  the  standard  for  his 
"Three  Hundred  Fighting  Regiments,"  but  9  officers  and  76 
men  shot  to  death  on  the  field,  and  138  deaths  from  wounds 
and  diseases,  are  proof  that  no  sacrifice  was  evaded. 

The  original  membership  came  largely  from  Galena,  and 
the  adjacent  counties,  Companies  F  and  G  being  from  Winne- 
bago  and  Boone.  Many  of  the  earlier  regiments  bore  distinct- 
ive titles,  other  than  their  official  numbers.  The  45th  was 
called  the  "Washburne  Leadmine"  regiment,  both  as  a  compli- 
ment to  Hon.  Elihu  B.  Washburne,  then  Congressman  from 
the  Galena  District,  and  a  reminder  of  the  ore-bearing  region 
where  it  was  mainly  recruited.  Possibly,  also,  the  latter  desig- 
nation may  have  been  designed  as  a  humorous  suggestion  of 


especial  weight  and  abundance  in  the  metal  it  carried.  At  any 
rate,  no  enemy  ever  prospected  in  its  vicinity  without  being 
suitably  rewarded. 

CAPTAIN  ADAIR'S  ACCOUNT. 

Aside  from  the  official  records,  a  most  interesting  historical 
sketch  of  the  regiment  was  read  at  the  Freeport  meeting,  Sept. 
28,  1869,  by  Capt.  Adair  of  Co.  E.  This  was  published  by  the 
regimental  association,  and  is  commended  as  a  stirring  account 
of  deeds  in  which  the  authors  bore  an  honorable  part.  It 
should  be  of  especial  interest  to  some  Winnebago  people  for  its 
glowing  tribute  to  Comrade  Giles  C.  Hard,  who  was  a  pioneer 
citizen  and  a  friend  of  my  father  in  the  long  ago.  Regimental 
histories  form  a  valuable  section  of  the  vast  literature  of  the 
Civil  War  and,  being  preserved  in  various  collections,  are 
eagerly  studied  by  military  students.  The  brochure  referred 
to  may  be  identified  by  the  following  bibliographical  descrip- 
tion: 

ADAIR,  (John  M.)  Historical"  sketch  of  the  Forty-fifth 
Illinois  Regiment,  with  a  complete  list  of  the  Officers  and  Pri- 
vates and  an  Individual  Record  of  Each  Man  in  the  Regiment. 
By  Capt.  John  M.  Adair,  Lanark,  Illinois.  Lanark:  Carroll 
County  Gazette  Print,  1869,  8  vo.  pp.  40. 

THE  STATE  HISTORY. 

Since  the  books  are  not  always  within  convenient  reach,  I 
have  thought  it  might  be  an  acceptable  souvenir  of  this  meet- 
ing to  reproduce  in  print  the  substance  of  all  that  appears  in 
the  official  records  relating  especially  to  the  regiment,  or  at 
least  such  references  thereto  as  may  be  of  assistance  to  any 
desiring  to  study  its  career  more  closely.  The  sons  or  grand- 
sons of  its  members  may  be  able  to  read  between  the  lines 
something  more  than  is  here  set  down. 

The  reports  of  the  Adjutants-General  of  Illinois  for  the 
battle  years  have  been  twice  republished  in  eight  close-printed 
volumes,  first  in  1886,  as  revised  by  Gen.  J.  W.  Vance,  and 

13 


again  in  1901,  under  the  supervision  of  Gen.  J.  N.  Reece.  In 
both,  there  is  appended  to  a  complete  roster  of  the  command 
a  three-page  "history,"  which  appears  in  substance  below.  It 
furnishes,  at  least,  a  substantially  accurate  itinerary  of  the 
regiment's  travels  throughout  the  war. 

"The  regiment  was  organized  by  John  E.  Smith,  of 
Galena,  who  was  commissioned  Colonel  of  Volunteers, 
July  23,  1861.  Seven  companies  encamped  at  the  fair 
grounds  near  Galena,  called  Camp  Washburne,  and 
were  there  armed  with  Short  Enfield  rifles.  Moved  to 
Camp  Douglas,  Chicago,  Nov.  22,  1861,  where  three 
additional  companies  were  made  up,  and  the  full  regi- 
ment was  mustered  into  the  U.  S.  Service  on  Christmas 
Day,  1 86 1. 

"Departed  Jan.  12,  1862,  for  Cairo,  where  the  regi- 
ment encamped  on  the  I5th,  and  on  Feb.  i,  1862,  was 
assigned  to  W.  H.  L.  Wallace's  brigade,  the  Second  of 
John  A.  McClernand's  Division.  Next  day,  started  for 
the  Tennessee  river  under  Gen.  Grant,  and  on  Feb.  4, 
1862,  first  camped  in  the  field,  four  miles  below  Ft. 
Henry.  On  the  5th,  Ft.  Henry  was  evacuated  and  next 
evening  the  45th  moved  in.  On  the  nth,  at  4  p.  m., 
marched  out,  with  its  Division,  on  the  direct  road  to  Ft. 
Donelson. 

"In  the  forenoon  of  Feb.  I3th,  took  position  on  the 
right  of  the  line.  In  the  afternoon,  being  sent  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  49th  Illinois,  engaged  close  to  the  enemy's 
works,  the  regiment  entered  its  first  engagement.  It 
was  severe  but  brief  and  the  result  beneficial.  In  the 
three  days'  investment  of  Donelson,  the  regiment  lost  2 
men  killed  and  26  wounded. 

"Remained  in  camp  until  March  4th,  then  marched 
to  mouth  of  the  Big  Sandy  and  took  boats  up  the  Ten- 
nessee for  Savannah,  arriving  on  the  nth.  Except  for 
the  two  or  three  days'  scout  into  the  interior,  known  as 
the  "Pin  Hook  Expedition,"  camped  at  Savannah  until 
the  25th  and  then  moved  to  Pittsburgh  Landing.  The 
camp  of  the  45th  was  at  the  junction  of  the  Purdy  and 
Corinth  roads,  not  far  from  Shiloh  church. 

"At  the  close  of  the  usual  Sunday  morning  inspec- 

14 


tion  on  April  6,  1862,  the  arms  of  the  regiment  were  left 
stacked  on  the  color  line.  Just  as  the  breakfast  call 
sounded,  the  "long  roll"  was  beaten  and  within  three 
minutes,  the  500  men  of  the  regiment  then  present  were 
in  line  of  battle,  fully  armed  and  equipped.  The  first 
order  was  to  double-quick  to  left  and  front  in  support  of 
Sherman.  After  the  first  encounter  of  the  morning,  the 
regiment  fought  mainly  on  its  "own  hook,"  under  direc- 
tion of  Col.  Smith  ;  passing  back  and  forth  over  the  same 
ground  several  times.  Late  in  the  day  it  fell  back  to 
take  position  with  its  brigade  and  division  on  the  right 
of  the  line,  where, the  final  stand  was  made.  Laid  on  its 
arms  that  night  in  the  rain  and  moved  forward  at  day- 
break. After  the  final  charge  on  Monday,  the  regiment 
stopped  near  the  camp  from  which  it  had  so  suddenly 
moved  before  breakfast  the  preceding  day.  Its  losses 
were  26  killed  and  199  wounded  and  missing.  The  miss- 
ing, not  wounded,  were  but  few  and  those  rejoined  the 
command  Monday  night. 

"Remaining  in  camp  at  Shiloh  until  April  24th,  it 
then  engaged  in  the  so-called  siege  of  Corinth  as  a  part 
of  the  First  brigade,  Third  division  of  the  Reserve.  Its 
labors  in  the  trenches  were  severe,  its  dangers  slight. 
From  June  8th  to  Nov.  2nd,  remained  in  camp  in  a 
pretty  grove  just  east  of  Jackson,  Tennessee,  except 
when  employed  in  guarding  the  railroad  at  various 
points.  On  the  last  named  date,  four  companies  were 
assigned  to  guard  duty  at  Medon,  one  at  Treagers',  and 
five  at  Toons',  all  on  the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad 
south  of  Jackson.  On  August  3ist,  Armstrong's  Cav- 
alry brigade  raided  within  the  Union  lines,  striking  the 
railroad  just  north  of  Toons',  at  Treagers',  and  at 
Medon.  Co.  C  was  captured  at  Treagers'.  At  Medon 
a  sharp  fight  occurred,  the  rebels  being  repulsed.  The 
losses  to  the  regiment  were  3  killed,  13  wounded,  and  43 
prisoners. 

"On  November  2nd,  moved  from  Jackson  to  La 
Grange,  Tenn.,  where  it  acted  as  provost  guard  until  the 
28th,  then  moved  with  the  army,  on  the  Holly  Springs 
campaign,  as  far  as  Spring  Dale.  Here  Col.  Smith  re- 
ceived his  commission  as  Brigadier-General  and  took 


formal  leave  of  the  regiment,  though  he  had  commanded 
a  brigade  for  some  months.  Returning,  the  45th  camped 
at  a  point  north  of  the  Tallahatchie  river  until  January 
i,  1863,  when  it  continued  its  march  northward  to  Mem- 
phis. 

"In  February,  moved  by  transport  from  Memphis 
toward  Vicksburg.  Stops  were  made  at  Lake  Provi- 
dence, Vista  Plantation,  and  Milliken's  Bend.  Here, 
volunteers  were  called  for  to  run  transports  past  the 
Vicksburg  batteries.  Every  officer  and  man  of  the  regi- 
ment volunteered,  wherefore  a  detail  had  to  be  made  of 
the  quota  assigned,  which  manned  the  steamer  Anglo- 
Saxon  and  took  her  safely  through,  loaded  with  com- 
missary stores.1  The  detail  was  as  follows:  Com- 
mander, Capt.  L.  B.  Fisk,  Co.  E ;  Pilots,  Charles  Evans, 
Co.  D,  Joshua  Kendall,  Co.  K;  Engineers,  Sergt.  A.  J. 
Esping,  Co.  B,  Charles  Flint,  Co.  G;  Firemen,  J.  M. 
Primmer,  Co.  F,  Wm.  Tripp,  Co.  G,  John  Paul,  Co.  C. 

"On  May  ist  the  regiment,  then  at  Bruinsburg,  started 
with  Logan's  division  of  Gen.  Grant's  army  upon  the 
famous  campaign  to  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,  participat- 
ing in  all  the  battles  en  route.  The  position  of  the  45th 
during  the  siege  was  immediately  at  the  White  House, 
on  the  Jackson  road,  in  front  of  Fort  Hill ;  which  was 
regarded  as  the  key  to  the  fortress.  It  took  part  in  the 
three  assaults  of  May  I9th  and  22nd  and  June  25th,  in 
the  second  of  which  Major  Luther  H.  Cowing  was 
killed. 

"The  sapping  and  mining  of  Fort  Hill  occupied 
about  a  month,  and  the  45th  was  selected  as  the  storm- 
ing party  when  the  match  was  applied  on  June  25th. 

"Immediately  after  the  mine  was  sprung,  the  regi- 
ment rushed  into  the  crater,  but  was  met  by  a  murder- 
ous fire,  the  enemy  being  protected  by  inner  breast- 
works thrown  up  in  anticipation  of  the  explosion.  The 
loss  to  the  regiment  was  83  killed  and  wounded.  Among 
the  latter  was  Jasper  A.  Maltby,  the  Colonel,  while 
Lieut.  Col.  Melancthon  Smith,  and  Major  Lander  B. 
Fisk,  with  many  others,  were  killed.  In  consideration 


'Capt.  Adair  states  that  the  detail  was  divided,  and  gives  interesting 
particulars  of  their  adventures. 

16 


of  its  conspicuous  service  during  the  siege,  the  45th,  by 
order  of  Gen.  Grant,  was  given  the  advance  upon  enter- 
ing the  city,  and  its  flag  was  raised  upon  the  court 
house  by  Col.  Wm.  E.  Strong,  of  McPherson's  staff,  to 
denote  the  surrender.1 

"The  regiment  was  detailed  for  provost  guard  duty 
in  Vicksburg  from  July  4,  1863,  to  October  I4th.  It 
was  then  relieved  to  take  part  in  the  Canton  raid,  during 
which,  on  the  I7th,  it  was  engaged  in  a  skirmish  at 
Boguechitto.  From  November  7,  1863,  to  March  14  fol- 
lowing it  was  in  camp  at  Black  River,  ten  miles  east  of 
Vicksburg,  except  during  the  period  between  February 
3rd  and  March  4th,  when  it  was  engaged  in  the  Meridian 
raid ;  in  which  three  of  its  men  were  wounded  in  a  skir- 
mish at  Chunky  Station.  Meantime  nearly  every  man  re- 
enlisted  for  an  additional  three  years. 

"Left  Vicksburg,  March  17,  1864,  for  Cairo,  where 
the  regiment  was  given  its  "Veteran  furlough."  Re- 
assembled at  Cairo,  May  4th,  and  proceeded  by  steamer 
to  Clifton  on  the  Tennessee,  thence  marching  via  Pulaski, 
Tenn.,  Huntsville  and  Decatur,  Ala.,  and  Rome  and  King- 
ston, Ga.,  to  Etowah  Bridge,  arriving  on  the  7th  of  June. 
Thenceforth,  until  the  'March  to  the  Sea,'  took  its  part 
in  the  Atlanta  campaign.2 

"Left  Atlanta,  November  I2th,  as  a  part  of  the  ist 
brigade,  3rd  division  of  the  I7th  corps,  and  arrived  at 
Savannah,  Ga.,  December  21  st.  Started  by  steamer  from 
Savannah,  Jan.  4,  1865,  and  debarked  at  Beaufort,  S.  C, 
on  the  1 3th.  Engaged,  on  the  following  day,  in  the  at- 
tack on  Pocotaligo,  in  which  eight  men  were  wounded. 
From  Jan.  3Oth  to  Feb.  28th,  marched  upwards  of  300 
miles,  via  Orangeburg,  Columbia,  Ridgeway,  and  Wins- 
boro,  to  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain.  Camping  at  the  latter  place 
until  March  3rd,  moved  on,  via  Cheraw,  Fayetteville,  and 
Bentonville,  to  Goldsboro,  N.  C.,  arriving  March  24th. 
On  March  nth,  Fayetteville  was  taken  by  'Sherman's 
Bummers,'  and  Win.  C.  Taylor,  then  a  private  but  after- 
wards Quartermaster  of  the  45th,  received  the  surrender 


'See  p.  27. 

2Guarded  the   Etowah   crossing  during  the  summer,  where   two  ot 
its  men  were  shot  by  guerillas  while  on  patrol  duty  at  night. 

17 


at  the  hands  of  its  Mayor.  April  10,  marched  for  Ral- 
eigh; thence  to  Greensboro  and  back  to  Raleigh,  where 
news  of  the  surrender  came  and  the  war  was  over. 

"Between  May  ist  and  i8th  occurred  the  hardest  march 
of  the  war,  from  Raleigh  to  Washington.  The  i/th  corps 
in  one  day  made  39  miles,  the  I5th  on  another  35  miles. 
The  two,  constituting  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  were 
engaged  in  a  trial  of  speed  with  'home'  for  the  goal. 
Neither  won,  for  both  encamped  at  Alexandria,  opposite 
Washington,  on  the  same  day.  From  May  14,  1864,  to 
May  19,  1865,  the  45th  marched  1,750  miles. 

"On  May  24,  1865,  the  regiment  marched  in  the 
Grand  Review,  and  on  June  6th  proceeded  by  rail  to 
Louisville,  Ky.,  arriving  there  on  the  8th.  July  I2th 
came  the  'muster  out'  and  three  days  later,  at  Chicago, 
the  final  pay  and  discharge." 

Such,  in  barest  outline,  is  the  regiment's  story  of  nearly  four 
years  of  honorable  service,  as  preserved  in  the  records  at  Spring- 
field ;  but  the  real  pith  of  that  story  is  to  be  found  in  the  brief 
notes  set  opposite  the  names  of  its  members :  "Killed  at  Shiloh," 
"at  Vicksburg,"  or  elsewhere.  "Died"  at  some  camp  or  hos- 
pital. "Re-enlisted  as  a  veteran" — each  man  had  a  history,  to 
which  these  are  the  key. 

THE  REBELLION  RECORDS. 

The  45th  is  mentioned  frequently  in  the  "Official  Records  of 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion,"  that  impressive  memorial  of  the  great 
conflict  which  gathers  into  its  130  bulky  volumes  the  materials 
of  history  as  it  was  sketched  in  the  making.  Most  of  these  ref- 
erences, however,  occur  in  the  reports  of  casualties,  no  names 
being  given,  or  in  lists  of  the  organizations  which  composed,  at 
various  times,  the  forces  with  which  the  regiment  was  con- 
nected. It  served  under  Gen.  Grant  from  Cairo  to  Vicksburg, 
and  followed  the  lead  of  Sherman  from  Vicksburg  to  the  end. 
Upon  the  creation  of  the  I7th  Army  Corps  the  45th  became  and 
always  remained  a  part  of  the  First  Brigade  of  its  Third  Di- 

18 


vision.       The  subjoined  note  gives  the  book  and  page  of  the 
several  entries,  all  of  which  I  have  lately  reviewed. 

EARLIEST  MENTION. 

The  earliest  official  mention  of  the  regiment  found  in  these 
volumes,  occurs  in  a  letter  written  by  Gen.  Grant  to  the  Asst. 
Adjt.  Gen.,  Dept.  of  Missouri,  under  date  of  Cairo,  Dec.  18,  1861, 
Vol.  7,  p.  507 : 

"There  are  seven  companies,"  the  General  writes,  "of 
the  Forty-fifth  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteers  at  Camp 
Douglas,  with  improved  arms  for  1,000  men,  and  cloth- 
ing for  the  same,  who  are  anxious  to  come  here.  If  they 
could  consistently  be  sent  before  being  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  I  would  be  much  pleased. 
This  application  is  made  because  the  desire  to  come  has 
been  axpressed  by  the  senior  officers  of  this  regiment." 

These  Galena  neighbors,  very  naturally,  were  trying  to  get 
together. 

FORT  DONELSON. 

The  report  of  Gen.  McClernand,  covering  the  capture  of  Ft. 
Donelson  appears  in  Vol.  7,  pp.  170,  et  seq.  Thus  early,  the 
redoubtable  McClernand  manifested  those  faults  of  military  eti- 
quette which  soon  led  to  his  downfall,  but  his  troops  suffered 


Series  i,  Vol.  7,  pp.  126,  168,  170,  173,  175,  177,  178,  182,  192,  194-197, 
202,  203,  205,  206,  208,  507,  578,  649. 

Id.  Vol.  10,  part  i;  pp.  100,  117,  123,  133-135,  265,  276,  757,  761. 
Part  2,  pp.  152,  187. 

Id.  Vol.  17,  part  i;  pp.  44,  49.     Part  n;  pp.  144,  156,  212,  247,  338, 

514. 

Id.  Vol.  24.  part  i;  pp.  584,  643,  705,  707-712.  Part  2,  pp.  9,  155, 
164,  207.  293-295.  Part  3,  pp.  28,  257,  476. 

Id.  Vol.  31,  part  i,  p.  823.     Part  3,  p.  570. 

Vol.  32,  part  i,  pp.  170,  192,  214,  227-231,  233-236.  Part  2,  pp.  9, 
155,  164,  207,  293-295.  Part  3,  pp.  65,  516,  568. 

Id.  Vol.  38,  part  i,  p.  109.     Part  3,  p.  570. 

Id.  Vol.  39,  part  2,  pp.  69,  557.     Part  3,  p.  566. 

Id.  Vol.  44,  pp.  21,  851. 

Id.  Vol.  47,  part  i,  pp.  50,  70,  405. 

Id.  Vol.  49,  part  2,  p.  1066. 

Id.  Vol.  52,  part  i,  pp.  16,  17. 

Series  3. — Vol.  3,  p.  742. 

19 


nothing  in  his  account  of  their  doings.     One  mention  of  the 

45th  is  as  follows : 

"At  one  time  McAllister's  battery,  while  exposed  to  a 
cross-fire  of  artillery,  was  so  closely  pressed  by  the  enemy's 
infantry  as  to  compel  his  gunners  to  fall  back.  At  this 
critical  juncture  Colonel  Smith,  of  the  Forty-fifth,  rushed 
forward  with  a  detachment  of  his  men  and,  driving  them 
back,  rescued  it."  Vol.  7,  p.  178. 
Another  allusion  to  our  regiment  (p.  173)  closes  with  a 

characteristic  remark  which  drew  from  Gen.  Grant  an  equally 

characteristic  comment.     Referring  to  a  severe  pressure   upon 

his  2nd  brigade,  he  says : 

"For  the  purpose  of  strengthening  this  heroic  band 
and  more  completely  covering  the  front  of  the  enemy's 
works,  the  Forty-fifth,  Col.  Smith,  in  accordance  with  an 
order  to  that  effect,  moved  forward  under  a  heavy  fire, 
and,  taking  position  in  line,  the  assault  was  renewed. 
At  this  critical  moment,  if  the  enemy  had  been  diverted 
by  an  attack  on  the  left  and  also  from  the  river  by  the 
gunboats,  it  is  possible  the  redan  would  have  been  taken." 

In  forwarding  this  report  Gen.  Grant  observes  (p.  170)  : 

"I  have  no  special  comment  to  make  on  it,  further 
than  the  report  is  a  little  highly  colored  as  to  the  con- 
duct of  the  First  Division,  and  I  failed  to  hear  the  sug- 
gestions spoken  of  about  the  propriety  of  attacking  the 
enemy  all  around  the  lines  on  Saturday.  No  sugges- 
tions were  made  by  Gen.  McClernand  at  the  time 
spoken  of." 

The  rescue  of  McAllister's  battery  above  referred  to  calls 
attention  to  the  report  of  that  officer,  found  on  page  208.  This 
excerpt  will  be  read  with  interest: 

"Our  shell  and  shrapnel  proving  troublesome,  they 
sent  a  body  of  skirmishers,  that  approached  our  right 
piece,  and  poured  in  so  close  a  volley  that  we  were  driven 
from  the  gun.  The  Forty-fifth  advanced  and  after  a 
sharp  skirmish  repulsed  them.  I  continued  the  fire  with 
coolness  (sic)  and  precision  until  my  last  round  of  ammu- 
nition had  been  expended.  Ten  minutes  afterwards  an 

20 


order  to  retreat  by  the  left  came  to  me,  and  before  I  could 
throw  my  saddle  on  my  horse  I  was  left  by  the  Forty- 
fifth  regiment  and  (by)  the  single  gun  of  Taylor's  bat- 
tery, whose  teams  were  hitched  on." 

A  less  veracious  chronicler  might  have  omitted  this  feature, 
but  such  is  Capt.  McAllister's  official  narrative  of  how  he  got 
left.  Very  likely  he  was  a  bit  slow  in  throwing  that  saddle; 
and  it  was  bad  generalship,  anyhow  to  have  his  horse  en  disha- 
bille at  such  a  time.  Moreover,  he  should  have  known  that 
when  infantry  is  ordered  to  retreat  (if  it  was  a  retreat)  it  must 
promptly  obey. 

"Theirs  not  to  make  reply, 
Theirs  not  to  reason  why ; 
Theirs  but  to  do,"  etc. 

Col.  Smith's  report  of  the  engagement  (pp.  202,  3),  after 
recounting  the  charge  by  which  the  assailants  of  the  battery 
were  driven  back,  states : 

"The  position  was  held  for  over  two  hours,  keeping 
up  a  continual  though  irregular  skirmish  with  the  rebels. 
About  2  o'clock  the  same  day  I  received  your  order  to 
take  position  on  the  right  of  the  Forty-eighth  Illinois, 
which  order  I  obeyed." 

The  report  of  Col.  Wallace,  commanding  the  brigade  (Vol. 
7,  pp.  192,  et  seq),  contains  nine  separate  mentions  of  the  45th, 
among  them  the  following,  in  connection  with  the  repeated  sal- 
lies from  the  enemy's  works : 

"Again  a  new  and  fresh  line  of  infantry  appeared, 
and  I  ordered  the  whole  line,  except  the  Seventeenth  and 
the  left  wing  of  the  Forty-ninth,  to  advance  and  occupy 
the  hill.  The  Eleventh,  Twentieth,  Forty-eighth,  and 
Forty-fifth,  with  a  portion  of  the  Forty-ninth,  advanced 
boldly  and  in  fine  order  to  the  brow  of  the  hill,  where 
they  were  exposed  uncovered  not  only  to  the  fire  of  the 
enemy's  infantry,  but  to  a  raking  fire  from  one  of  the 
enemy's  batteries  of  artillery  across  the  valley.  They 
opened  their  fire,  supported  by  Taylor's  battery  and  two 
of  McAllister's  guns  (one  having  been  disabled  by  a 
shot  from  the  enemy's  cannon),  and  for  some  time  the 


21 


conflict  was  strong  and  fierce;  but  at  length  the  strong 
masses  of  the  enemy's  infantry  gave  way  before  the 
steady,  well-directed,  and  continued  fire  of  the  right  of 
my  line.  They  fell  back,  however,  only  to  give  place 
to  another  line  of  fresh  troops  who  advanced  to  their 
support,  and  who  were  also  compelled,  by  the  steady, 
unflinching  valor  of  our  men,  to  give  way." 

And  Ft.  Donelson,  the  ground  whereon  the  General  won 
his  sobriquet  of  "Unconditional  Surrender  Grant,"  was  the  first 
battlefield  of  the  gallant  boys  of  the  old  Forty-fifth !  Every 
Lieut.-Colonel  of  the  brigade  was  either  killed  or  wounded, 
Maltby  of  ours  being  shot  through  the  thigh.  But  two  enlisted 
men  of  the  regiment  were  killed  and  only  20  wounded,  the 
small  loss  being  attributed  by  Col.  Smith  (p.  203)  "to  the  fact 
that  my  men  never  fell  into  confusion." 

PITTSBURGH  LANDING. 

The  commanders  of  the  regiment  were  never  very  prolific 
of  formal  reports.  The  official  narrative  of  its  share  in  the 
terrible  fight  at  Shiloh  is  found  wholly  in  the  statements  of 
others.  The  losses,  as  compiled  from  the  lists  of  names  (Vol. 
10,  p.  loo)  were:  Killed,  I  officer  and  22  men;  wounded,  17 
officers  and  170  men;  missing,  3.  Total,  133.  Another  state- 
ment of  which  the  above  is  said  to  be  a  revision  (p.  123),  places 
the  total  at  197  killed  and  wounded,  missing  none. 

The  regiment  is  repeatedly  referred  to  in  the  reports  of  Col. 
C.  C.  Marsh  of  the  2Oth  111.,  commanding  the  2nd  Brigade  (pp. 
I33'5)»  °f  Lt.  Col.  R.  A.  Fulton,  53rd  Ohio  (p.  265),  and  of 
Capt.  S.  E.  Barrett,  Battery  B,  ist  111.  Light  Artillery  (p  276). 
Gen.  McClernand  reports  elaborately,  as  usual,  and  is  not  spar- 
ing of  compliments  to  the  men  of  his  Division.  On  page  117 
(Vol.  10),  in  recounting  the  tangled  performances  of  Sunday, 
he  states : 

"The  Forty-fifth  Illinois,  being  the  last  to  fall  back, 
only  escaped  being  surrounded  and  captured  by  boldly 
cutting  their  way  through  the  closing  circle  of  the  enemy's 

22 


lines  and  joining  the  division,  under  the  daring  lead  of 
Colonel  and  Major  Smith,  of  that  regiment." 

SIEGE  OF  CORINTH  AND  AFTER. 

In  his  report  of  the  tedious  approach  upon  Corinth,  Gen. 
McClernand,  then  commanding  the  Reserve  Corps  of  the  army, 
refers  to  the  skirmish  near  Easel's  on  May  29,  1862,  wherein 
Gen.  Logan  is  said  to  have  ordered  "Captains  Lieb  and  Cowen 
of  the  8th  and  45th  Illinois  regiments"  to  advance  their  com- 
panies to  repel  an  attack  upon  his  pickets.  In  glowing  words 
he  points  out  that:  "These  officers  promptly  doing  so,  a  severe 
skirmish  ensued,  in  which  this  small  force  again  signalized  West- 
ern courage  by  beating  and  driving  back  superior  numbers. 
According  to  information  subsequently  obtained,  the  enemy 
lost  40  men  killed  and  wounded  in  this  combat,  which  the  late- 
ness of  the  evening  and  the  nearness  of  his  position  to  his  works 
enabled  him  to  carry  off."  (Vol.  10,  p.  757.) 

Gen.  Logan's  account  of  the  same  affair  (p.  761)  says:  "The 
enemy's  pickets,  being  apparently  increased,  made  a  dash  at 
our  line,  with  the  evident  intention  of  driving  our  pickets  in, 
but  the  gallant  Captains  Lieb  and  Wilson,  of  the  Eighth  Illinois 
Infantry,  nobly  maintained  their  position,  and  after  firing  two 
volleys  at  the  enemy  advanced  and  drove  him  back." 

So  it  remains  in  doubt,  officially,  whether  Captain  Cowen 
and  his  Co.  B  were  in  this  momentous  engagement  or  not.  It 
matters  little,  for  if  any  glory  was  won  in  the  "Siege  of  Corinth" 
it  should  be  given  exclusively  to  Gen.  Halleck,  who  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God  was  permitted  for  a  time  to  command  troops  in 
the  field. 

VICKSBURGH  CAMPAIGN. 

In  Part  I  of  Vol.  24,  a  compilation  is  given  of  the  losses  at 
the  battle  of  Raymond  (p.  705).  McPherson  then  commanded 
the  corps  (i7th),  Logan  the  Third  Division,  and  John  E.  Smith 
the  First  Brigade.  Two  officers  and  14  men  of  the  45th  were 
wounded  and  one  was  missing.  Gen.  Smith's  full  report  of 

23 


this  campaign  for  the  investment  of  Vicksburg,  and  of  the  siege 
to  June  4th,  makes  frequent  reference  to  the  45th,  always  in 
complimentary  terms  (pp.  708-11).  Speaking  of  Raymond  (p. 
708)  he  mentions  that  "Colonel  Maltby  *  *  *  although  so 
unwell  that  he  was  obliged  to  ride  in  an  ambulance,  as  soon  as 
the  enemy  was  known  to  be  in  force  to  dispute  advance,  mounted 
his  horse  and  assumed  command  of  his  regiment." 

At  Champion's  Hill  the  regiment  lost  4  men  killed  and  I 
officer  and  19  men  wounded,  as  compiled  from  the  nominal  lists 
(Vol.  24,  Part  2,  p.  9).  The  only  official  mention  of  its  part 
in  that  battle  is  found  in  Part  I  of  this  volume,  at  p.  712,  in  the 
report  of  Col.  Wm.  P.  Davis  of  the  23rd  Indiana.  He  was 
ordered,  he  says,  "to  advance  his  regiment  and  take  position  on 
the  right  of  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  regiment,  which  was  support- 
ing Captain  Rogers'  battery  on  the  brow  of  the  hill." 

THE  SIEGE  AND  CAPTURE. 

Concerning  the  two  assaults  of  May  22nd  in  the  vicinity  of 
Fort  Hill,  the  following  from  the  foregoing  report  of  Gen. 
John  E.  Smith  (p.  710)  relates  especially  to  our  command: 

"About  2  p.  m.  the  same  day,  in  pursuance  of  orders 
from  division  headquarters,  I  made  a  second  attempt  to 
assault  the  enemy's  works  from  the  front,  on  the  main 
road.  Although  there  is  not  a  regiment  in  the  brigade 
that  I  have  not  the  fullest  confidence  in,  yet  as  the  Forty- 
fifth  Illinois  had  not  been  under  fire,  and  knowing  that 
they  would  go  wherever  I  ordered  and  where  it  was  pos- 
sible to  go  (their  conduct  since  is  ample  testimony),  I 
ordered  them  in  advance,  to  be  immediately  supported 
by  Colonel  Force,  2Oth  Ohio,  of  the  Second  Brigade, 
who  was  assigned  to  me  for  that  duty  (under  the  pre- 
vious instructions,  to  move  forward  with  fixed  bayonets, 
and  not  to  fire  until  they  had  gained  the  enemy's  works).1 
The  order  was  given  to  advance,  and  they  were  soon 
exposed  to  the  whole  of  the  fire  of  the  rebel  line,  killing 
and  wounding  many  at  the  head  of  the  column  (among 


'The    typography    of   the    official    volumes    is     carefully    followed 
throughout  these  extracts. 


24 


them  Maj.  L.  H.  Cowen,  who  was  in  command  of  the 
regiment),  when  they  filed  off  under  cover  of  the  ridge 
occupied  by  the  Twentieth  Illinois.  The  Twentieth  Ohio 
was  not  ordered  forward,  as  I  became  satisfied  that  the 
obstacles  could  not  be  overcome  without  sacrificing  prob- 
ably my  whole  command." 

The  most  dramatic  event  in  the  regiment's  history,  and  the 
bloodiest  except  Shiloh  in  all  its  years  of  service,  was  the  assault 
at  Fort  Hill,  June  25,  1863.  The  only  official  testimony  relat- 
ing to  that  terrible  affair  in  which  the  regiment  is  specifically 
named,  is  contained  in  the  report  of  Gen.  M.  D.  Leggett,  then 
its  brigade  commander.  This,  dated  July  6,  1863,  is  found 
in  Part  2  of  Vol.  24,  on  page  294.  The  Colonel,  Maltby,  was 
wounded,  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  the  Major,  Melanchon 
Smith  and  Leander  B.  Fisk,  were  killed.  No  field  officer  was 
left  to  report.  Five  others  were  stricken  to  death  and  60  others 
laid  low  by  wounds.  After  detailing  the  process  of  sapping 
and  mining  the  fort,  Gen.  Leggett  continues : 

"On  the  25th  of  June  I  was  ordered  to  hold  my  com- 
mand in  readiness  to  charge  and  take  said  Fort  Hill  as 
soon  as  the  mine  should  be  sprung,  to  hold  the  breach 
made  by  the  explosion  at  all  hazards,  and,  if  practicable, 
to  charge  over  and  drive  the  enemy  from  his  works. 

"At  3  :3<3  p.  m.  of  said  day  my  command  was  in  readi- 
ness, the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  being  in  the  front  supported 
by  the  other  regiments  of  the  brigade,  and  Lieut.  H.  C. 
Foster,  of  the  Twenty-third  Indiana,  with  100  men,  being 
placed  in  the  left-hand  sap  before  spoken  of,  with  orders 
to  charge  with  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois,  provided  they  at- 
tempted to  cross  the  enemy's  works.  At  4 130  o'clock  the 
mine  was  sprung,  and  before  the  dirt  and  smoke  was 
cleared  away  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  had  filled  the  gap 
made  by  the  explosion,  and  were  pouring  deadly  volleys 
into  the  enemy.  As  soon  as  possible,  loop-hole  timber 
was  placed  upon  the  works  for  the  sharpshooters,  but  the 
enemy  opened  a  piece  of  artillery  at  very  close  range  on 
that  point,  and  the  splintering  timbers  killed  and  wounded 
more  men  that  did  balls,  and  I  ordered  the  timbers  to 

25 


be  removed.  Hand-grenades  were  then  freely  used  by 
the  enemy,  which  made  sad  havoc  amongst  my  men,  for, 
being  in  the  crater  of  the  exploded  mine,  the  sides  of 
which  were  covered  by  the  men,  scarcely  a  grenade  was 
thrown  without  doing  damage,  and  in  most  instances  hor- 
ribly mangling  those  they  happened  to  strike.  The  Forty- 
fifth  Illinois,  after  holding  the  position  and  fighting  des- 
perately until  their  guns  were  too  hot  for  further  use, 
were  relieved  by  the  Twentieth  Illinois.  During  this  time 
hand-grenades  were  freely  used  on  both  sides,  Private 
William  Lazarus,  of  Company  I,  First  U.  S.  Infantry, 
being  detailed  to  throw  them,  who,  after  throwing  about 
twenty,  was  mortally  wounded,  after  which  a  detail  of 
three  men  from  the  same  command  were  detailed  for  that 
duty.  The  Twentieth  Illinois  was  relieved  by  the  Thirty- 
first  Illinois,  and  they  in  turn  by  the  Fifty-sixth  Illinois, 
of  the  Third  Brigade,  but  their  ammunition  being  bad  they 
were  unable  to  hold  the  position,  and  were  relieved  by 
the  Twenty-third  Indiana.  The  Seventeenth  Iowa,  of  the 
Third  Brigade,  then  relieving  the  Twenty-third  In- 
diana, and  the  Thirty-first  Illinois  relieving  them, 
held  the  position  until  daylight,  when  the  Forty- 
fifth  Illinois  relieved  them  and  held  the  position 
until  10  a.  m.  of  the  28th.  The  One  Hundred  and  Twen- 
ty-fourth Illinois  then  relieved  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois,  and 
held  the  position  until  5  p.  m.  of  the  same  day,  when  I 
received  orders  to  withdraw  to  the  left-hand  gap,  where 
I  maintained  the  position  until  the  surrender  on  the  4th 
of  July,  when,  by  order  of  Major  General  Logan,  my 
brigade,  led  by  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois,  was  honored  with 
the  privilege  of  being  the  first  to  enter  the  garrison,  and 
the  flag  of  the  Forty-fifth  the  first  to  float  over  the  con- 
quered city." 

I  am  told  that  the  right  of  the  45th  to  claim  especial  credit 
for  its  conduct  during  the  siege  has  been  questioned.  We  may 
claim  much  without  injustice  to  others,  since  there  is  glory 
enough  for  all,  and  all  performed  every  duty  assigned.  Better 
opportunity,  not  superior  merit,  is  the  most  that  any  can  truth- 
fully allege.  It  is  well  known  that  ours  was  the  first  to  enter 
the  city,  but  there  is  less  certainty  as  to  the  particular  officer  by 

26 


whose  orders  that  honor  was  conferred.  Gen.  Leggett,  as  above 
quoted,  says  that  "by  order  of  Gen  Logan  his  brigade,  led  by 
the  Forty-fifth,"  was  the  first.  Gen.  Badeau  in  his  "Military 
History  of  Gen.  Grant"  (Vol.  I,  p.  387),  states  the  case  thus: 

"Logan's  division  was  one  of  those  which  had  ap- 
proached nearest  the  rebel  works,  and  now  was  the  first 
to  enter  the  town.  It  had  been  heavily  engaged  in  both 
assaults,  and  was  fairly  entitled  to  this  honor.  The  Forty- 
fifth  Illinois  Infantry  marched  at  the  head  of  the  column, 
and  placed  its  battle-torn  flag  on  the  court-house  of  Vicks- 
burg." 

The  State  history  (Adjt.  General's  Report,  Vol.  3,  p.  362) 
says  that  the  precedence  of  the  45th  was  "by  order  of  Gen. 
Grant." 

Luckily  the  Official  Records,  as  published  by  Congress,  settle 
the  point  conclusively,  and  furnish  incidentally  the  choicest  testi- 
mony in  all  the  books  to  the  good  name  of  any  single  command. 
It  was  General  James  B.  McPherson,  the  beloved  Commander 
of  the  1 7th  Army  Corps,  the  Chevalier  Bayard  of  our  army,  the 
peer  and  the  honored  friend  of  Grant  and  Sherman,  whose  watch- 
ful eye  and  considerate  judgment  accorded  to  this  regiment  its 
sacred  patent  of  distinction.  The  following  informal  memoranda, 
written  amidst  the  excitement  and  hurry  of  that  memorable 
Fourth  of  July  morning,  witnesses  and  confirms  it — a  frail  leaflet 
of  history  torn  off  in  the  very  whirlwind  of  great  events,  and  by 
some  happy  chance  lodged  in  the  Nation's  archives.  I  transcribe 
it  with  all  possible  accuracy  from  page  476,  Part  3  of  Volume  24 : 

MCPHERSON'S,  July  4,  1863. 
Colonel  RAWLINS: 

"If  one  regiment  goes  in  advance  to  the  court-house  to  take 
possession,  I  respectfully  request  that  it  be  the  Forty-fifth  Illi- 
nois. This  regiment  has  borne  the  brunt  of  the  battle  oftener 
than  any  other  in  my  command,  and  has  always  behaved  nobly. 

McPHERSON. 

[INDORSEMENT.] 
"It  is  left  to  you  to  designate  such  regiment  as  you  may  see 

27 


proper  to  go  forward  and  take  possession  of  the  court-house. 
''By  order  of  Major-General  Grant: 

"JOHN  A.  RAWLINS, 
"Assistant  Adjutant-General. 
"BEFORE  VICKSBURG,  JULY  4,  1863. 
"Major  General  Logan,  Comdg.  Third  Division: 

"I  suggest  that  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  take  the  advance  in 
going  into  the  city. 

"Very  respectfully, 
"JAMES  B.  McPHERSON." 

CANTON  AND  MERIDIAN  RAIDS. 

The  so-called  "raids"  from  Vicksburg  toward  Canton  and 
Meridian,  adventurous  and  exciting  though  they  were,  did  not 
call  for  extended  official  notice  of  the  part  played  by  single  com- 
mands. The  same  is  true  of  the  service  rendered  by  the  45th 
in  the  Atlanta  campaign,  the  March  to  the  Sea,  and  the  sweep 
through  the  Carolinas.  Our  brigade,  the  First  of  the  Third 
Division,  iyth  Corps,  made  notable  history  at  "Leggett's  Hill" 
on  the  2  ist  and  22nd  of  July,  1864,  but  we  were  spared  that  sad 
ordeal.  Otherwise  this  meeting  would  hardly  have  been  pos- 
sible. Only  trustworthy  regiments  were  chosen  for  detached 
duty,  such  as  ours  at  the  Etowah  Bridge,  so  something  of  honor 
accompanies  our  exemption  from  a  terrible  loss. 

A  report  made  by  our  General  Force  during  the  Meridian 
expedition  (Vol.  32,  Part  I,  p.  227)  stated  the  losses  of  the  45th 
at  Chunky  Station  as  three  men  wounded,  one  mortally.  On 
page  229,  in  his  full  account  of  the  raid, he  reports  that  the  "Forty- 
fifth  Illinois,  Major  Duer  commanding,  was  left  guarding  the 
bridge  over  the  Oktibbeha,  while  the  rest  of  the  brigade  was  at 
Meridian."  Also,  that  "At  Canton,  the  I24th,  2Oth,  and  45th 
Illinois,  destroyed  two  miles  of  railway,  bending  every  rail,  and 
loo  feet  of  trestle-work,"  of  which  one-half  mile  of  track  and 
74  feet  of  trestle  are  credited  to  the  45th.  This  glowing  compli- 
ment of  the  dear  General  may  well  be  added  as  signifying  the 
general  character  of  his  men : 

28 


"The  conduct  of  the  brigade  on  the  march  was  ad- 
mirable.    The  column  was  compact  and  without  strag- 
glers, the  train  always  closed  up,  bivouac  was  made  and 
broken  up  promptly.     The  brigade  was  not  as  much  as 
five  minutes  behindhand  by  the  watch  in  obeying  a  single 
order  on  the  march.     Their  excellence  in  drill  was   of 
service.     At  Clinton  and  Chunky's  the  slightest  intima- 
tion of   command  was  apprehended   and   executed   with 
such  facility  that  the  brigade  appeared  to  work  itself." 
An  interesting  report  of  this  march,  found  on  pp.  233,  4  of 
the  same  volume,  was  made  by  Major  Duer,  which  I  transcribe 
in  memory  of  our  beloved  commander.     Duer,  Force,  Leggett, 
McPherson,  and  Sherman — these  are  my  five  war  heroes,  and 
John  O.  Duer  is  not  least  in  my  love : 

"Headquarters  Forty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry, 

"Big  Black,  Miss.,  March  8,  1864. 

"CAPTAIN:  In  accordance  with  General  Orders, 
No.  32,  division  headquarters,  I  have  the  honor  to  make 
the  following  report  of  the  part  taken  by  the  Forty-fifth 
Illinois  Infantry  in  the  late  expedition  to  Meridian, 
Miss.: 

"The  regiment  took  a  common  part  with  the  brigade 
until  our  arrival  at  Chunky  River  Station,  on  the  South- 
ern Railroad.  On  the  morning  of  the  I4th  of  February, 
having  the  advance  of  the  brigade,  was  ordered  to  throw 
one  company  forward  as  skirmishers.  F  Company, 
Lieut.  Vincent  commanding,  was  quickly  deployed  to 
the  right  of  the  road,  and  was  soon  under  fire,  and  under 
directions  of  the  general  commanding  the  brigade,  the 
regiment  was  formed  in  rear  of  my  skirmishers  and  ad- 
vanced immediately  upon  the  enemy.  The  company  of 
skirmishers  in  my  front  drove  the  enemy  across  the 
creek,  having  3  wounded — Privates  Peter  Griffin  and 
Isaac  Way,  severely,  and  Private  Charles  Collas,  sup- 
posed to  be  mortally.  The  regiment  advanced  within  a 
few  rods  of  the  Chunky  River.  I  then  complied  with 
directions  of  the  general  commanding  the  brigade — sent 
B  and  G  Companies  to  protect  companies  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth  (who  were  destroying  the 

29 


bridge)  from  the  enemy's  sharpshooters.  The  enemy 
soon  fell  back,  leaving-  six  wagons.  These  wagons  were 
burned  by  Captain  Van  Dervort,  commanding  B  com- 
pany. At  10:30  a.  m.  was  ordered  to  resume  our  line 
of  march  for  the  Meridian  road. 

"On  the  night  of  the  I5th  of  February,  received  or- 
ders to  remain  at  Oktibbeha  bridge  and  guard  it  until 
General  Chambers'  brigade  came  up. 

"General  Chambers  passed  along  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  i8th  of  February,  when  I  marched  to  Meridian  and 
reported  to  Captain  Douglass,  assistant  adjutant-gen- 
eral, Third  Division,  who  informed  me  where  the  bri- 
gade was  encamped. 

"On  the  29th  instant  Lieutenant  Clifford,  of  Com- 
pany C,  and  10  men  (mounted),  in  compliance  with 
orders,  reported  to  brigade  headquarters  and  joined  the 
brigade  foraging  party  for  the  purpose  of  foraging  for 
the  several  regiments  of  the  brigade.  On  the  afternoon 
of  the  same  day  they  were  attacked  by  a  superior  force 
of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  and  after  a  sharp  skirmish  were 
compelled  to  fall  back,  leaving  their  horses  and  plunder 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Four  of  Lieutenant  Cifford's 
party  were  captured,  namely:  Privates  William  Wil- 
liams, of  Company  A;  John  Rolfe,  of  Company  F; 
Henry  C.  Errett,  of  Company  H  ;  and  Alfred  B.  Ramsey, 
of  Company  K,  the  latter  being  wounded  in  the  hand 
when  captured.  The  rest  took  shelter  in  a  wood  near 
by  and  remained  until  daylight  next  morning,  when 
they  passed  to  the  left  of  the  enemy's  pickets  and  came 
to  camp.  During  the  expedition  no  men  were  lost  by 
straggling. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"JOHN  O.  DUER, 

"Major,  Commanding  Forty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry. 
"Capt.  J.  B.  WALKER, 

"Assistant  Adjutant-General." 


HOME,  VIA  ATLANTA  AND  SAVANNAH. 
There  is  nothing  of  importance  applicable  especially  to  the 
45th  in  the  voluminous  annals  of  the  marches  through  Georgia 
and  the  Carolinas.  The  regiment  simply  kept  pace  with  the 
army,  doing  whatever  was  required  of  it  by  the  way,  and  had 
no  fighting  of  consequence  save  the  skirmish  at  Pocotaligo. 
The  march  to  the  sea  is  celebrated  in  story  and  in  song,  but 
the  progress  from  Savannah  to  Goldsboro,  though  lending  it- 
self less  easily  to  poetical  or  romantic  treatment,  was  vastly 
more  arduous,  and  at  least  equally  decisive.  It  may  be  that 
the  brown  men  of  Japan  have  set  a  new  mark  in  military 
efficiency,  but  I  shall  die  in  the  unshaken  belief  that  the  army 
that  marched  northward  from  Savannah  under  Sherman  was 
the  best  that  ever  assembled  on  earth. 


